Propeller puller



Feb. 4, 1941. I G. WALTER, 2,230,918

PROPELLER FULLER Filed April 8, 1959 Buvcntor l17 30 l w-LU WM?,

Gltorncgs.

Patented Feb. 4, 1941 'i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

The present invention relates. to improvements in propeller pullers and more particularly relates to an improved device for dislodging, and possibly also removing from its shaft, the propeller such as used in marine propulsion, although the invention is applicable to airplanes, wheel pullers and the like.

An object of the invention is to simplify the construction of previous devices intended for a similar purpose, and to consequentially render it an easier matter for the application of the device to the shaft and to the hub of the propeller.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved device for starting propellers from their jammed position on the propeller shaft in which the construction is rugged and economical and whereby the parts are capable of quick and easy assembly and disassembly.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be more fully described hereinafter, and will be more particularly pointed out in the claim appended hereto.

In the drawing, wherein like symbols refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views.

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side view of a propeller and its shaft showing the improved puller partly in section and partly in elevation as applied in its initial position.

Figure 2 is an end View looking from the right end of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an end View looking from the left end of Figure 1, and

Figure 4 is a sectional View taken through the improved pulley apart from the propeller and its shaft.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, I designates a propeller shaft, the hub of the propeller and I2` the blades of the same.

In the instance shown, as seen in Figure 2, the propeller has three blades I2 radiating from the hub II and is of a well known type of marine propeller.

In practice the propeller hub I| is provided with a tapered bore and keyway fitting snugly toA propeller shaft II) which is also tapered as indicated in Figure 1 to receive the tapered bore of the hub II. The tapered end of propeller shaft II) is also provided with keyway and key to receive said hub I I. The propeller shaft is further provided with a threaded end 4| to receive the nut 42 and the lock nut 43 for holding propeller hub tightly on the propeller shaft.

The improved puller comprises generally two plates I3 and I4. The plate I3, illustrated most clearly in Figure 3, is of a U-shape or a horseshoe form having a slot I5 to be received over the shaft I0 with a closed end I6 forming a yoke and an open end opposite the yoke so that legs Il and I8 are open at the right hand side but closed by the yoke I6 .at the opposite side. The general configuration of the plate I3 is triangular as indicated in Figure 3. Its corner portions are intended to be disposed opposite the spaces between adjacent propeller blades I2. The plate I3 is of a width or diameter greater than the hub II so as to properly connect with the bolts I9, and 2|. The bolt I9 has a threaded end 22, as best seen in Figure 4, forthe purpose of screwing into a threaded opening 23 made in that corner or angle portion of the plate I3 which occurs at the yoke I6. After being screwed into the opening 23, the bolt I9 is irremovably and non-rotatably secured in this opening. The bolt I9 is therefore permanently associated with plate I3.

The other two bolts 20 and 2| are removably associated with plate I3. These bolts are formed with heads 24 and 25 square or of some other straight line configuration. These bolts are intended to occupy sockets 26 and 2l formed in the outer face of the plate I3 and extending about the openings 28 and 29 which are made through the plates to accommodate the shanks of .the bolts 20 and 2|. The sockets 26 and 2l are also straight lined or have straight walls agreeing in number with the straight walls of the heads 24 and 25 whereby the heads 24 and 25 are snugly and non-rotatably, yet removably, received into such sockets.

The socket 26 and its opening 28 communicate with a slot 30 opening out through the free edge of the leg I'I. The other socket 2l and its opening 29 communicate with a slot 3| opening out through the free edge o-f the leg I8. The slots 30 and 3| are inferior in width to the adjacent straight side of the bolt heads 24 and 25 so that shoulders 32 and 33 are formed at the sides of the opening 28 to prevent bolt head 24 from escaping outwardly in the direction of slot 30; and shoulders 34 and 35 are similarly situated with respect to the slot 3| for preventing bolt head 25 from escaping outwardly in that direction.

The bolts are threaded throughout major portions o-f their lengths and at their opposite ends extend through plain openings 36 in a plate I4. Nuts 38 lare threaded on the bolts I9, 20 and 2| and washers 38 are preferably fitted loosely over the plate I4 may simply be pulled completely off all three bolts. In other words the plate I3 with its permanent bolt I9 remains in one part and" may be applied to the propeller shaft III by tting the U-shape plate I3 over shaft Il),y the shaft being received through the open side of the slot I5. This is done inthe position of the plate I3 and its connected bolt I9 that will enable the bolt I9 to clear the blades I2, thereupon the plate |3'may be slid along the shaft III enabling the bolt I9 to slip along the outside of the hub II between two adjacent blades I2 of the propeller. Thereupon the other two bolts 2D and 2|' are fitted through adjacent gap-s between propeller blades and engaged with the plate I3 by insertingT the shanks of thabolts through the slots 39 and 3| and thereafter drawing the bolts axially to require the heads 24 and 25 thereof to enter the sockets 26 and 2l; whereby the bolts become non-rotatable and cannot escape from plate I3. 'Ihe companion plate I4 is therefore slipped over the three threaded ends of the bolts I9', 23 and 2| and brought up to a position with its socket 43 receiving the end of shaft I9, as shown in Figure l. The washers 39 and nuts 38 are then put upon the bolts and tightened up. Y

As shown in Figure l, the plate I3 will engage against the inner end of the propeller hub II. When the nuts 38 are tightened, therefore, the plate I3 will be pulled in a right hand direction, that is in the direction of the plate I4 which is held stationarily by its impingement against shaft end I3. Thus the propeller hub I will be forced along shaft Ill, dislodging the same from its tight engagement with the shaft. As soon as it has been loosened the entire puller may be removed and the propeller lifted oh the shaft.

In removing the device, the nuts 38 are run off the ends of the bolts and removed with the washers 39, the plate I4 then being pulled off the threaded bolt ends. The bolts 29 and 2| are then shifted inwards in an axial direction along shaft I0 until their heads disengage the sockets 2G and 2, the bolts 2li and 2| being thereupon moved outward from shaft I Il thus freeing the same entirely fromthe horse-shoe shaped plate I3 which is thus free to be withdrawn in the radial direction occupied by the permanent bolt I9. By having the permanent bolt IE! engaged permanently with the yoke or closed side IE. of the slot I5, and opposite to the open side or mouth of the slot I5, the plate I3 with its permanent bolt I9 may be moved into and out of position by simply a direct radial movement of these parts with the permanent bolt I9 entering the spaceY between adjacent propeller blades I 2 and the open mouth of slot I5 presented to shaft I5. In this way it will not be necessary to fit the plate I3 to the shaft I0 at a point so far to the left of Figure 1 as to enable bolt I9 to escape the propeller, and thereupon shift the wholedevice to the right until plate I3 abuts against hub I I. The slots 3|] and 3| are also arranged in directions in which the bolt shanks 2|) and 2| may be easily removed from plate I3 Without being in any way interfered with by the hub or the blades l2 of the propeller. In this way the device lends itself to being put in position `and removed in cramped spaces.

It will be appreciated from the foregoing that the invention involves a practical tool for quickly and safely removing boat propellers from propeller shafts and that the device is constructed to withstand considerable strain, being fabricated in such manner as to make it possible to slip the tool sidewise over propeller and shaft. To loosen the propeller it is first necessary to back oi the propeller shaft nut. Propeller puller is thereupon placed in position as described, and by tightening the nuts the necessary pull is created to loosen the propeller.

The propeller puller may of course be varied; by re-spacing the location of bolts. This tool can be made to remove two, three or four blade propellers.

Inasmuch as the sockets for the bolt heads prevent the bolt heads from turning when the nuts are being tightened .or loosened, this arrangement of the heads and sockets will prevent the propeller puller from falling off the propeller and propeller shaft when the propeller has been loosened, thus making it possible to use this puller even whilethe boat is in the water, and obviating the necessity ofr drydocking for propeller removal.

It is obvious that various changes and modications may be made in the details of construction and design of the above specifically described embodiment of this invention Without departing from the spirit thereof, such changes and modications being restricted only by the scope of the following claim.

What is claimed is: f'

A puller for removing propellers from their shafts comprising a substantially U-shaped plate having a central opening with a lateral slot opening through the edge of said plate, said slot adapted to receive a propeller shaft therein, a bolt permanently connected with the plate at a point substantially opposite said slot, said plate also having openings at opposite sides of the plate and slots communicating with said openings and opening through the edges of the plate, said plate having substantially rectangular seating portions within said openings and slots, headed bolts having Shanks for engaging through the slots into said openings, the heads of the bolts being substantially rectangular and adapted to removably but non-rotatably t in said openings and seating portions, a second plate having a central flanged portion for fitting against the end of the shaft, said second plate having openings for freely receiving said bolts, the bolts removably fitted in the rst mentioned plate being adapted, when removed, to be drawn voutwardly through the openings of the second plate whereby an unobstructed space is provided between the rst and second plates, and movable means on the bolts engaging said second plate for drawing the first plate toward said second plate.

GUSTAVE WALTER'. 

